Week-End G

Name: Georgia (Georgian: საქართველო, Sakartvelo). Actually, Georgians do not call themselves Georgians but Kartvel-ebi and their land Sa-kartvel-o. These names are derived from a pagan god named Kartlos, said to be the father of all Georgians. The foreign name Georgia, used throughout western Europe, is mistakenly believed to come from the country’s patron saint, St. George. Actually it is derived from the words Kurj or Gurj, by which Georgians are known to the Arabs and modern Persians. Another theory purports that the name comes from the Greek word geos (earth), because when the Greeks first came to Georgia they saw its inhabitants working the land.

Area: 69,700 km².

Location: At the juncture of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Legend – When God was distributing portions of the world to all the peoples of the Earth, the Georgians were having a party and doing some serious drinking. As a result they arrived late and were told by God that all the land had already been distributed. When they replied that they were late only because they had been lifting their glasses in praise of Him, God was pleased and gave the Georgians the part of Earth he had been reserving for himself.

Borders: To the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the east by Azerbaijan

Entrance points: Currently available entrance points to Georgia which could be travelled by bus or car are:

Armenia – Georgia:

Sadakhlo / Bagratashen (South – East Georgia). Distance to Tbilisi – 90 km.

Bavra (the Southern Georgia). Distance to Tbilisi – 330 km.

Azerbaijan – Georgia:

Lagodekhi / Tsodna (Eastern Georgia). Distance to Tbilisi – 170 km.

Red Bridge (South – East Georgia). Distance to Tbilisi – 70 km.

Vakhtangisi (Southern Georgia). Distance to Tbilisi - 60 km.

Turkey – Georgia:

Sarpi (West Georgia). Distance to Tbilisi – 400 km.

Vale (South West Georgia). Distance to Tbilisi – 300 km.

The Russia-Georgia checkpoint at Kazbegi – open (the Georgian Military Highway), Tskhinvali (the Roki Tunnel) and routes across the Georgian-Abkhaz boarder are currently closed.

Population: Georgia has a population of 4.4 million, of which Georgians make up about 83.8 percent. More than 80 other nationalities make up the balance, including Armenians (5.7%), Russians (1.5%), Azeris (6.5%), Ossetes (0.9%), Greeks (0.3%), Abkhazians (0.1%) Jews (0.1%), Jezid (0.4%), Ukranian (0.2%), and miscellaneous (0.5%).

Religion: State Religion – Orthodox Christianity since 337 AD. At least 75% of Georgia’s 4 million population is Georgian Orthodox. The Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church is one of the world’s most ancient Christian Churches.

Language: Georgian. The three related languages of the Georgian people-Georgian, Svan and Mingrelo-Laz-are not part of the Indo-European, Finno-Ugric, or Semitic families but belong to the Ibero-Caucasian or Kartvelian (Southern Caucasian) language group.

Alphabet: Georgian, the present alphabet (which is among the 14 existing alphabets in the world) may have begun to evolve with the arrival of Christianity, and was certainly in use by AD450.

Type of State: Presidential representative democratic republic

National currency: Georgian Lari (GEL) divided into 100 tetri; introduced September 1995.

Climate: There’s quite a wide range of climates in Georgia, from the warm, humid, subtropical Black Sea coast, via the colder, wet, alpine climate of the High Caucasus, to the arid steppes of the east. The west has a damp, subtropical climate and dry and continental in eastern Georgia.

National Parks: Lagodekhi national park; Vashlovani National Park; Tusheti National Park; The Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park; The Kolkheti National Park.

Highest peaks: Mt. Shkhara 5200 m, Mt. Janga 5059 m, Mt. Mkinvartsveri 5047 m, Mt. Tetnuldi 4853 m, Mt. Shota Rustaveli 4960 m, Mt. Ushba 4710 m, Mt. Ailama 4547 m. Mountain ranges and hills comprise 80% of Georgian territory.

Main rivers: The Mtkvari (Kura in Russian 1,515 km in total); the Terek (623km); the Alazani (351km); the Rioni (327km); the Iori (320km); the Aragvi (112km).

Largest lakes: Paravani – 37.5 sq.km; Kartsakhi – 26.3 sq.km; Paliastomi – 18.2 sq.km; Tabatskuri – 14.2 sq.km; Jandari – 10.6 sq.km.

Mineral waters: There are about 500 popular mineral waters such as Borjomi, Sairme, Nabeghlavi, Zvare, Java, Kugela, etc.

Regions: Abkhazia (autonomous republic); South Ossetia (de facto independent region, officially termed Tskhinvali region by the Georgian authorities); Adjara (autonomous republic); Guria; Imereti; Kakheti; Lower Kartli (Kvemo Kartli); Mtskheta-Mtianeti; Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti (Kvemo Svaneti); Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti (Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti); Samtskhe-Javakheti; Inner Kartli (Shida Kartli);

Major cities: Tbilisi (the capital of Georgia), Kutaisi, Rustavi, Batumi, Zugdidi, Telavi, Gori, Sighnaghi, Mtskheta.

Local time: (GMT+4)

Internet: The Internet suffix is: .ge

Electricity: 220v 50hz (in theory), with two-prong European-standard plugs

Weights and measures: Metric system

National flag: The Georgian flag depicts a red rectangular cross against a white background with four smaller red crosses in the corners.

 

 

 

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